Ruffling mechanism for sewing-machines.



PATENTED MAR. 15, 1904.

A. LAUBSGHER. RUFFLING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29, 1903.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' lNVENTOfi v wz. BY

ATTORNEY N0 MODEL.

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PATENTED MAR. 15, 1904.

' ,A. LAUBSGHER.

RUFPLING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29. 1903. no MODEL. 4 snnn'rssnnnr 2.

' PATENTED MAR. 15, 1904.

A. LAUBSOHER. RUFPLING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29. 1903.

N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET- 3- N VE N 70/? W/ TNESSES:

PATENTED MAR. 15, 1904. A. LAUBSGHER. RUFFLING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29. 1903. NO MODEL.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

wmvssszs; INVENTOH A TTOHNE) UNTTED STATES Patented. March 15, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER LAUBSCHER, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO WHEELER & WILSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

RUFFLING MECHANISM FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 754,928, dated March 15, 1904.

Application filed April 29. 1903.

I To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER LAuBsoHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State F of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Rufiiing Mechanisms for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to that class of ruf- 1 fling mechanisms which may be thrown into and out of operation while the sewing-machine is running; and the object of the invention is to provide a durable and efiicient rufliing mechanism capable of being run at great speed and adapted to admit of its rufliing-blade being lifted when and as the presser is raised, so as to leave the work-support unobstructed, and thereby facilitate the handling of the goods beneath it. The invention consists in a rufiiing-blade operated from the upper or needle shaft through a composite lever, the fulcrum of which may be shifted independently of the running of the machine, so as to vary the length of throw of 2 5 the rufiiing-blade and also put it out of action.

Another feature of the invention is a connection of the rufliingblade with the presserbar to effect the lifting of the blade off of the work, so that the work may be handled as 3 necessary by the operator.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a sewing-machine supplied with the present rufiiing mechanism. Fig. 2

is an end elevation with the face-plate removed. Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation taken in the plane of line A B, Fig. 1, illustrating the depressed and raised positions of the ruf- 4 fling-blade and presser in full lines and dotted lines, respectively. Fig. 4c is an inverted plan view of the ruffiing mechanism, taken in the plane of line C D, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a crosssection of the lever-coupling, taken in the plane of line E F, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a perspective view, on a larger scale, of the pivotblock of the lever-coupling. Fig. 7 is an elevation of an adjustable stop-block. Fig. 8 is Serial No. 154,857. (No model.)

a perspective view, on a larger scale, of the slide-block of the lever-coupling. 5

1 may indicate the usual bed-plate of a sewing-machine, and 2 is the overhanging arm. To the arm 2 is bolted a bracket 3, which supports the rufl'ling mechanism.

4: is a horizontal rock-shaft mounted in a hearing 5 on the bracket 3 at the rear side thereof, and 6 is a lever fast on the end of said rock-shaft and connected with an eccentric 7, tight on the upper or driving shaft 8 of the machine, by a link or pitman 9, the lower end of which pitman is pivoted to said lever around a stud 10, and its upper end is strapped around said eccentric in any usual manner. 11 is a horizontal rock-shaft mounted in a bearing 12 on said bracket at, the front side thereof. One 6 5 endof shaft 11 is provided with a lever 13, adapted to carry the creaser or rufiiing-blade 1 1, and the other end is equipped with a lever 15, which extends alongside the lever 6, with which it is coupled. While the invention is not lim- 7o ited to the manner of and means for coupling these levers, the construction now to be described is effective. The levers 6 and 15 are coupled adj ustably by a shouldered pivot-block 16, movably secured within a longitudinal slot 7 5 17 in .the lever 15. Projecting from the block 16 is a stud 18, upon which is pivoted a slideblock 19, which works within a longitudinal groove 20 in the lever 6. Extending from the opposite side of said block 16 is a threaded 8o stud 21, upon which is run a thumb-nut 22. When the nut 22 is tightened, the block 16 will be secured in place, the lever 15 being pinched betweenthe shoulders 23 on said block and a washer 24 next the inner face of the 8 5 nut. When it is desired to alter the length of stroke of the rufliing-blade, the nut 22 is loosened and the block 16 shifted within the slot 17 toward or away from the fulcrum of the lever 6, which will of course shorten or 9 lengthen the stroke of the rufiling-blade, as the case may be, the length of such stroke being in direct proportion to the distance said block 16 is moved from the fulcrum of said lever 6, as is obvious, it being understood that the fulcrum of the lever 6 is the rock-shaft i,

to which it is fixed. When it is desired to discontinue the rufiling action, the block 16 is moved to a position concentric with the axis of the shaft 4.

An adjustable stop-block may be employed in connection with the lever 15, so as to obtain series of ruffles of uniform creases alternating with spaces of plain stitching. Said stop comprises a shouldered block 25, which fits loosely within the slot 17 of the lever and has tapped therein a screw 26, interposed between the head of which and the face of the lever 15 is a washer27. The stop-block may be adjusted within the slot 17 for ruflies of any predetermined size, and it serves also as a stop to limit the effective position of the pivot-block 16.

The rufHing-blade 14 is secured to a manyarmed bell-crank lever 28, which is slit vertically and pivoted at 29 to the lower extremity of the lever 13. 30 is a spring pressing upon said bell-crank lever in such manner as to keep the rufiling-blade 14 pressed down against the material. said bell-crank is bent inwardly toward the needle over a finger 32, which projects from the presser-bar 33 beneath said arm and is adapted to engage the latter when the presserbar is raised. The finger 32 is secured in a socket 34 in a clip 35 by a set-screw 36, tapped in said clip, which is fastened on the presser-bar 33 by a screw 37 or other means, and by means of the set-screw 36 the altitude of the finger may be varied, so as to lift the rufliing-blade more or less. When the presserbar is raised for the purpose of introducing or removing the work, the finger 32 will engage the upper end 31 of the bell-crank 28 and cause the rufliing-blade to be lifted also, so that the work-support will not be obstructed, thereby facilitating the manipulation of the material beneath the presser, which of course will permit rapid and easy handling of the work.

In various kinds of work wherein several plies of material are used, the lower ply only of which it is desired to ruflie, while the remaining plies are simultaneously stitched thereto, it is necessary to so adjust the position of the finger 32 with respect to the upper arm 31 of the bell-crank 28 that when the presser is raised the rufiiing-blade will be so raised as to leave a space beneath said blade and the work-support and also above said blade and the under side of the presser, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, so that ample spaces will be provided for the manipulation of both the rufiied ply of material, which passes beneath said blade, and the plain strip of material, which passes over said blade and beneath the presser. In order to vary the pressure of the ruiiiing-blade to suit the requirements of materials of different texture, the spring 30 is made adjustable, and to this end The upper arm 31 of said spring is pivoted at its heel end around a screw 38, tapped in the lever 13, and is provided with a slot 39, through which passes a screw 40, tapped in the lever 13, so that the spring may be shifted to increase or decrease its pressure upon the bell-crank 28, and the screw 40 when made fast serves to hold said spring in its adjusted position, as will be clearly understood by reference to Fig. 3.

The bracket 3 may be provided with an extension 41, having a hole 42 in it, and a set-screw 43, the latter being shown in Figs. 1 and 4 only, so as to make it convenient, if desired, to use a hemmer or binder capable of being swung into and out of operative relation with the material.

It is within the spirit and scope of this invention to alter the details of construction as, for example, to substitute for the eccentric and pitrnan other means for vibrating the levers and to make the lever 13 of a single piece or extensible, as by forming it in two parts, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and connecting these parts by slots 44 in one part and binding-screws 45, tapped into the other partso i as to make the attachment applicable to arms of various heights from the bed or otherwise adjusting the rufliing-blade.

What I claim is 1. In arufliing mechanism, for sewing-machines, ahorizontal rock-shaft, asuitable bearing therefor, a lever fixed upon one end of said rock-shaft, a spring-pressed rufHing-blade on said lever, and a lever projecting radially from the other endof said rock-shaft, in combination with a second rock-shaft, a bearing therefor parallel with the first-mentioned rockshaft, a lever projecting radially from said second rock-shaft and crossing the radially-projecting lever on the first rock-shaft, means for coupling the radially-projecting levers at different points between their ends, and means to vibrate said levers.

2. In a rufliing mechanism, for sewing-machines, a horizontal rock-shaft, a suitable hearing therefor, a lever mounted upon one end of said rock-shaft, a spring-pressed rufliing-blade on said lever, and a slotted lever mounted upon the other end of said rock-shaft, in combination with a second rock-shaft, a bearing therefor parallel with the first mentioned rock-shaft, a grooved lever on said second rock-shaft, means for coupling said slotted lever and grooved lever together, and means for vibrating said levers.

3. In a rufl'ling mechanism, for sewing-machines, a horizontal rock-shaft, asuitable hearing therefor, a lever mounted upon one end of said rock-shaft, a spring-pressed rufliing-blade on said lever, and a longitudinally-slotted lever mounted upon the other end of said rockshaft, combined with a second rock-shaft, a bearing for said second rock-shaft arranged parallel with the bearing for the first-men- IIO tioned rock-shaft, a longitudinally-grooved lever on said second rock-shaft, an adjustable stud connecting said levers, and means for vi brating said levers.

4. In a ruffling mechanism, for sewing-machines,- a horizontal rock-shaft, asuitable bearing therefor, a lever mounted upon one end of said rock-shaft, a spring-pressed rufiling-blade on said lever, and a longitudinally-slotted lever mounted upon the other end of said rockshaft, combined with a second rock-shaft, a bearingfor said second rock-shaft arranged parallel with the bearing for the first-mentioned rock-shaft, a longitudinally-grooved lever on said second rock-shaft, an adjustable stud connecting said levers, a driving-shaft for the sewing-machine, and a connection between said driving-shaft and levers for vibrating the latter.

5. In arufiling mechanism, for sewing-machines, a horizontal rock-shaft, asuitable bearing therefor, a lever mounted upon one end of said rock-shaft, a spring-pressed rufliing-blade on said lever, and a longitudinally-slotted lever mounted upon the other end of said rockshaft, combined with a second rock-shaft, a bearing for said second rock-shaft arranged parallel with the bearing for the first-mentioned rock-shaft, a longitudinally-grooved lever on said second rock-shaft, an adjustable stud connecting said levers, a sewing-machine driving-shaft, an eccentric thereon, and a pitman connected to said eccentric at one end and to one of the levers at the other end.

6. In a sewing-machine, having an overhanging arm, andaneedle-driving shaft, aruffling mechanism comprising a bracket made fast to the overhanging arm, parallel bearings at front and rear of said bracket, a horizontal rock-shaft in each of said bearings, a slotted lever mounted upon oneend of one of said rock-shafts, a spring-pressed rufflingblade fast on the said lever, and a slotted lever mounted upon the other end of said rock-shaft, combined with a grooved lever fast on the end of the other rock-shaft, an adjustable coupling for connecting said slotted and grooved levers, and means for transmitting motion to said slotted and grooved levers from the drivingshaft.

7 In a ruffling mechanism, for sewing-ma chines, a horizontal rock-shaft,- a bearing in which it is mounted, a lever fast to one end of said rock-shaft, a spring-pressed bell-crank lever pivoted at the lower portion of said lever, and a rufiiing-blade fast to one arm of said bell-crank lever, the other arm of said bellcrank lever extending over toward the presserbar of the sewing-machine, in combination with said presser-bar, and a finger carried by said bar and in engagement with the projecting arm of the bell-crank lever.

8. In a rufl ling mechanism, for sewing-machines, a horizontal rock-shaft, a bearing in which it is mounted, a lever fast to one end of said rock-shaft, aspring-pressed bell-crank lever pivoted at the lower portion of said lever, and a ruining-blade fast to one arm of said bell-crank lever, the other arm of said bellcrank lever extending over toward the presser: bar of the sewing-machine, in combination with said presser-bar, and an adjustable finger carried by said bar and in engagement with the projecting arm of the bell-crank lever.

9. In a rufliing mechanism; for sewing-machines, a horizontal rock-shaft, a bearing in,

which it is mounted, a lever fast to one end of said rock-shaft, a bell-crank lever pivoted at the lower portion of said lever, a spring bearing upon said bell-crank lever, means to vary the pressure of said'spring upon said bell-crank lever, and a rufliing-blade fast to one arm of said bell-crank lever, the other arm of said bell-crank lever extending over toward the presser-bar of the sewing-machine, in combination with said presser-bar, anda finger carried by said bar and in engagement with the projecting arm of the bellcrank lever.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of April, A. D. 1903.

ALEXANDER LAUBSOHER.

' Witnesses:

F. W. OSTROM, A. M. DONIHEE. 

